Quick review of game from SA Closed by a Patzer #SAClosed2015

Below are my thoughts and the quick analysis from Stockfish 6 of a game played at the SA Closed. The game was played between Johannes Mabusela and Advocated Lyndon Bouah, two of the best players in the country. It is so easy to point out mistakes in the play of others when one has a strong engine at their disposal. During the game I did not pick up the mistakes made or the brilliant moves made. All the same, hope you enjoy it for what it is.

{This game was played in the 6th round.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 O-O 5. e4 d6 {King’s Indian Defence. It is definitely going to be a big fight.
That’s confirmed!} 6. Be2 e5 7. d5 {White continues with the Bayonet attack.
There is going to be considerable activity on the Kingside. White has a space
advantage but the counterattack by Black has venom and needs to be dealt with
precision.} ({The alternative continuation here, the Classical KID is the most
popular continuation but also probably the most deeply analysed variation of
the KID.} 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7) 7… a5 8. Bg5 h6 9. Be3 {The more popular
alternative here is to the move retreat to Bishop to h4.} {A common theme in
the lines, variations and indeed database games of King’s Indian Defence is
the deep complications that arise in the middle game. Time is of absolute
essence in KID positions as one bad move can swing the whole game.} Ng4 10. Bd2 f5 11. h3 Nf6 12. exf5 gxf5 13. Qc1 f4 {Everything so far has been theory.
However, White now has to be very careful of the e and f pawns which black is
going to keep advancing. As Black advances these pawns he will open up files
and long diagonal for the fianchettoed bishop. Things can easily get tricky
here.} 14. g3 e4 15. Nh4 {Believe it or not the position is still finely
balanced but…} e3 16. fxe3 fxg3 ({If Black takes on e3, his counterattack is
dead in the water and he is now on the losing end. Here is how things might go.
} 16… fxe3 17. Bxe3 Nfd7 18. Bxh6 {White is confident enough to attack Black
on the Kingside before he has castled. The white King is quite safe because
the Black pieces are just not mobilised or developed well enough to pose a
threat.} Qf6 19. Bxg7 Kxg7 20. Ne4 $1 {This is really a star move for White.
It takes care of the Queen threat on f2, attacks dark squares on the kingside
and makes it possible for the White Queen to come up the board.} Qe5 21. Qg5+ {
Two pawns up and no compensation for Black, White will be more than happy to
convert into an endgame.} Qxg5 22. Nxg5 Ne5 23. Nhf3 Nxf3+ 24. Bxf3 Na6 25. O-O
Nc5 26. h4 Bd7 27. Be2 Bf5 28. g4 {[%eval 219,18]}) 17. Ng6 g2 {It’s looking
dangerous for White right? Well he still has things under control though
having a pawn on the seventh rank can be very unnerving.} 18. Rg1 Bxh3 19. Nxf8Qxf8 {Black happily sacrifices the Exchange. There is compensation in the form
of the advanced pawn. More of his pieces are mobilising and threats will
increase for White.} 20. Qc2 {Time for white to castle, connect the rooks and
maybe deal with the annoying pawn on g2.} Ng4 21. O-O-O Ne5 $2 {This move
allows White to claim the important e4 square with the Queen where it can move
to the Kingside. Better was for Black to move his knight to f2.} ({The game
could have gone as follows} 21… Nf2 22. Rxg2 Bxg2 23. Rg1 Bh3 24. Rg3 Qf5 25.
Rf3 Qxc2+ 26. Kxc2 Na6 {And things will be balanced after White captures the
Knight on f2.}) 22. Qe4 Na6 23. Qh4 {At this point white is now in the driving
seat. Black now has to be a little careful about his own King.} Qc8 24. Ne4 Nb4
{I thought this move was a brilliant one from Black but Stockfish thinks its
completely losing.} ({Stockfish reckons that the more defensive …Ng6 was
better and offers the following justification} 24… Ng6 25. Qg3 Qf5 26. Nf2
Nb4 27. Bxb4 axb4 28. Bd3 Qf6 29. Rd2 Bf5 30. Bxf5 Qxf5 31. Rxg2 Rxa2 32. e4
Qg5 33. Qxg5 hxg5 34. Kb1 Ra4 35. Rxg5 Ne5 36. Rd1 Kf8 37. Rdg1 Bf6 38. Rg8+
Ke7 {[%eval 152,19]}) 25. Nf2 Qf5 26. e4 $2 {A blunder which completely swings
the game. This is made possible the Knight fork on d3. The funny thing about
this move e4 is that when one immediately looks at it, it appears to be a good
move. After all it is stopping mate on c2, blocking the Black Queen’s path to
the white king.} ({If I were playing this game as White I don’t think I would
even consider the move given by the computer.} 26. Bxb4 axb4 27. Qxh3 Qxh3 28.
Nxh3 Rxa2 29. Rxg2 Ra1+ 30. Kc2 Rxd1 31. Kxd1 Kf8 32. Nf4 Bf6 33. Kc2 Ke8 34.
Ne6 Kd7 35. Rh2 Bg5 36. Nxg5 hxg5 {[%eval 431,18] White emerges a whole Rook
after after simplifications in this variation.}) 26… Qxf2 27. Qxh3 Qxe2 {
Black now has the advantage but the game is not over at all. However Mabusela
makes a few more blunders, maybe under time pressure, which seals his fate.} ({
Here is how White could have tried to hold the fort.} 27… Qxe2 28. Qxg2 Qxc4+
29. Bc3 Nxa2+ 30. Kc2 Qa4+ 31. Kd2 Qd7 32. Bxe5 dxe5 33. Rdf1 Nb4 34. Qg6 Rf8
35. Rxf8+ Kxf8 36. Rc1 Kg8 37. Qe6+ Qxe6 38. dxe6 Nc6 39. e7 Nxe7 40. Rxc7 Bf6
{[%eval -172,17]}) 28. Bxb4 {This capture of the Knight which was a brilliant
move just a little while ago is now a blunder. Timing, it’s everything in
chess. Instead, white should have recaptured the pawn on g2. There was still a
lot to play for.} Nd3+ {The Advocate who demonstrated in his game just how
sharp he is tactically, finishes the game in style.} 29. Rxd3 Qxb2+ 30. Kd1 Qb1+ 31. Ke2 Qxg1 32. Rd1 Qxd1+ {What a game from two great players at the SA
Closed.} 0-1

Remember that is just one game from the tournament. Imagine what the other games must be like. For Round-by-Round reports of the tournament please go to the CHESS SOUTH AFRICA website.

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Bruce Mubayiwa

I am the founder and editor of Africa Chess Net. I have been playing chess for over 25 years and love writing about the game. Our goal is simple, to get more people playing chess in Africa! The game of chess is not only absorbing but a great deal of fun.